Boiler-flue cleaner.



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BOILER FLUE CLEANER. APPLIOATiO! 111.2!) 1120.1, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. BIGHELBERGER & DE L08 E. HIBNER.

BOILER FLUE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 7, 1910.

987,450, Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

2 BHEETSSHBBT 2.

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I El'C Ellie) eng UNITED STATEg WILLIAM EICHELBERGER AND DE LOS E.

PATENT OFFICE.

HIBNER, OF DUBOIS, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE VULCAN SOOT CLEANER COMPANY OF PITTSBURG, PA., OF DUBOIS, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BOILER-ELITE CLEANER.

987,450. Specification of Application filed December 7, 1910.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we. WILLIAM EICHEL- BERGER and DELOS E. HIBNER, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Dubois, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Flue Cleaners, of which the following is a speci fication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in boiler fine cleaners, and has particular relation to apparatus for injecting steam or other fluid into the fines for the purpose of cleaning the same.

The device forming the subject-matter of this application is particularly designed and adapted for use in connection with vertical fire tube boilers, and is an improvement upon the device specifically shown and described in the patent granted to William Eichelberger and D. E. Hibner, June 4, 1907, No. 855,563.

In the operation of a boiler flue cleaner such as shown and described in the above noted patent, it oftentimes happens that the cleaner is applied to a boiler of such a height that the handle, by means of which the blower arm is operated, cannot be reached from the floor upon which the boiler rests, necessitating the operator ascending to the top of the boiler in order to operate the blower arm.

The present invention has for its object the provision of novel means whereby the blower arm can be conveniently and easily operated by the attendant without requiring his ascending to the top of the boiler to L t r Patent Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Serial No. 596,165.

In the drawing, 10 indicates the boiler and 11 the smoke box thereof. Extending through the top 12 of said smoke boX is a vertically-extending pipe 14 supported at its lower end on the crown sheet 15 of the boiler and carrying the blower arm 16. The said pipe 14 is adapted to be rotated so as to swing the blower arm around over the upper end of the fire tubes, the blower arm being provided with a plurality of discharge jets or nozzles, so that steam may be injected into the upper end of each of the fire tubes 17. In order that the pipe 14 may be ro- 'tated, it is connected at its upper end by an ordinary form of swivel joint 18 to a branch pipe 19 connected to the supply pipe 20 leading from the supply of steam or other cleaning fluid. The vertical pipe 14 passes through and is adapted to rotate in sleeves 21 carried on the free ends of the two arms of a supporting bracket 22. This supporting bracket. has a hub 23 at the point where the arms of the bracket meet, and journaled in said hub is a shaft 24 which at its inner end carries a bevel pinion 25 that meshes with a bevel gear 26 secured on the pipe 14 to rotate therewith. The shaft 24 is supported at its outer end by means of a bracket 27 carried by the smoke box 12 and extending upwardly above the same. The bracket 27 carries an elongated hearing or pedestal 28 in which said shaft 24 is journaled and through which it extends.

Mounted on the outer or extended end of the shaft 24 and extending on opposite sides thereof is an arm or lever 29 which is slotted mtermediate the ends, and fixed on the shaft within said slot is a ratchet wheel 30 that is perform such operation.

Practical embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a vertical fiue boiler, partly in section, showing the preferred form of the device in operative position. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail plan views of parts of the operating mechanism, and, Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing engaged by a counterweighted pawl 31 pivotally hung in the slotted portion of the arm or lever 29. Said arm or lever 29 on its inner face has a hub 31 provided in the upper face with a notch or clearance 32 into which projects the outer end of a tooth 33 carried by the hearing or pedestal 28 and which acts to permit the pawl to move over one tooth only with each actuation of the arm or lever 29. On one end of the arm or a modified form of operating mechanism.

.lever 29 is an adjustable counter weight 34, acting to carry the pawl forward. and to the other end is connected an operating rod or handle which extends downwardly along the boiler to a point convenient for operation.

The steam supply line 20 is generally led into the boiler at a point above. the top thereof, and in order that perfectly dry steam may be furnished to the blower arm, it is the practice to provide a drip pipe 36 from the steam line to a point adjacent the bottom of the boiler, where the same is provided with an ordinary drip cook 37. By opening the drip cock 37 all condensation that may be in. the steam supply line may be drawn off before the steam is admitted to the blower arm, and, in order that the valve 38 interposed between the steam supply pipe and the blower arm may also be operated from a point at the base of the boiler, the stem of said valve 38 is connected by a rod 39 which extends downwardly along the boiler and is provided on its lower end with a suitable wheel or other form of operating handle 40.

In operation, the drain valve or cook 37 is first opened to blow all condensation from the steam line, and, as soon as dry steam is discharged through the drain pipe 36, the cock 37 is closed, and valve 88 is opened by means of rod 39 so as to admit the dry steam to the vertical pipe 14 and blower arm 16. The chain rod or handle 35 is then pulled so as to swing the arm or lever 29 and cause the pawl 81 by its engagement with ratchet wheel 30 to revolve shaft 24, and, through the medium of pinion 25 and gear 26, rotate pipe 14 so as to carry the blower arm 16 around over the upper ends of the fire tubes of the boiler. After each actuation of the rod or handle, the counter Weight 34 carries the pawl back to engage the next tooth in the ratchet wheel, the pawl at all times remaining in engagement with the wheel by reason of its being counterweighted as shown.

By the employment of the means for operating the pipe 14 and blower arm at a point remote from the top of the boiler, the attendant is relieved from the necessity of ascending to the top of the boiler while the smoke bonnet lids remain closed, and without interfering in the least with the firing of the boiler.

With the construction above described, the mechanism for operating the pipe 14 and blower arm 16 is located above and outside the smoke box. In some instances however, it may be found desirable, owing to insufficient room above the boiler, or for other causes to arrange the mechanism below the top of the smoke box. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 5, wherein is illustrated a modified form of operating means for the shaft 24. in lieu of the ratchet and pawl mechanism, we have provided. on the outer end of the shaft 24 a sprocket wheel ='-l-.l. to receive an operatii'lg chain 42. A guard 42-3 may be employed for retaining the chain 42 on the wheel. 4.1. In this construction the shaft 24 is journaled at its outer end in the wall of the smoke box and also in a bracket 44 secured to said smoke box. This brings the bevel pinion 25 and gear 26 within the smoke box and the actuating mechanisi'n for the shaft 24 below the upper end of said smoke box.

Obviously, the same form of shaft operating mechai'iism as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 could be used on the shaft arranged in the position in which said shaft is shown in Fig. F or those parts which are identical in l 1 and 5, the same reference numerals have been employed.

The operation of the modified form of construction will be clearly understood.

The chain 42 is an endless one so that by pulling opposite strands the pipe 14 may be rotated in either direction.

Having thus fully described the invention, what we claim as new is:

1. The combination with a boiler having vertical flue tubes, and means permanently located with respect to the tube sheet of the boiler for injecting a soot cleaning agent into the outlet ends of the tubes and embodying a blower arm, and a vertically-disposed rotative-pipe for supplying the blower-arm with cleaning fluid and by which pipe the arm is carried, of means comprising a suitably-mounted shaft extending at right angles to the said rotative pipe, gearing between the inner end of said shaft and blower arm, and means connected to the outer end of said shaft for rotating the same.

2. The combination with a boiler having vertical flue tubes, a tube sheet. and a smoke box at the outlet ends of the tubes, of a pipe rotatably-mounted in the top of the smoke box and supported on said tube sheet, a blower arm carried by said pipe, a bevel gear wheel secured to the pi e, a suitably mounted shaft having a pinion on its inner end to engage said bevel gear wheel, and means connected to the outer end of the shaft for operatin the same.

3. The combination with a boiler having vertical flue tubes, a tube sheet, and a smoke box at the outlet ends of the tubes, of a pipe journa'led in the top wall of the smoke box and resting on the tube sheet, a blower arm carried by said pipe, a rotatable shaft supported from the smoke box and extending at right angles to said pipe, gearing connecting the said shaft and pipe whereby the pipe is rotated as the shaft is operated, and means for operating said shaft.

4. The combination With a boiler having vertical flue tubes, a tube sheet, and a smoke box at the outlet ends of the tubes, of a vertically-disposed pipe rotatably-mounted in the top Wall of the smoke box-and supported at its lower end on said tube sheet, a blower arm carried thereby, a shaft supported from the smoke box, gearing connecting the inner end of said shaft With said rotative pipe,

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

WILLIAM EIOHELBERGER. DE LOS E. HIBNER.

Witnesses to signature of William Eichelmerger:

W INONA EICHELBERGER, GLEN. EIGHELBERGER.

Witnesses to signature of De Los E. Hibner:

and means connected with the outer end of EDWARD D. SOHWEM, said shaft for rotating the same. CHARLES E. HAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

